Wire-feeding device for nail-machines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 1w. RICHARDS. WIRE FEEDING DEVICE FOR NAILMACHINES.

No.'526,117. Patented Sept. 18, 1894 l lllilllllfll FIG-.1

WITNESSES 1N VEN TOR. 7/.U12JW41 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. .C. W.RICHARDS.

WIRE FEEDING DEVICE FOR NAIL MACHINES. N0.'5Z6,11'7. I Patented Sept.18, 1894.

WITNESSES: Y 11v VEN TOR. %z@. @20 6% 0%M M I I ydmkmm UNITE STATESPATENT OFFICE,

' CHARLES W. RICHARDS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

WIRE-FEEDING DEVICE FOR NAIL-MACHINES.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,117, datedSeptember 18, 1894.

Application filed October 28, 1892. Renewed July 27, 1894.. Serial No.518,712. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cleveland, county of Ouyahoga, and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Feeding Devices forNail-Machines, of which the following is a specification, the principleof the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which Ihave contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it fromother inventions.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail,one mechanical form embodying the invention; such detail constructionbeing but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of theinvention may be used.

In said annexed drawings-Figure I represents a top plan view of myimproved wire feeder for nail machines, and Figs. II and III, sectionson an enlarged scale, respectively taken on the line II-II and the lineIIIIII,-

in Fig. I.

The casing, A, of the feeder slides upon suitable supports upon the bedframe, B, of the nail machine, and said casing is formed withalongitudinal guide-way, a, which opens at its rear end into a forwardlytapering way, a, the rear end of which opens into a recess, a havingrounded sides. The rearwardlydiverging sides of the forwardly taperingor truncate wedge-shaped way a have outwardly narrowing recesses, a inwhich correspondingly-shaped wear pieces, A, are secured. A block, 0,having a longitudinal groove, 0, in its upper side, slides in thestraight guideway a, and two steel rollers, D, which form the wiregripping jaws, have play in the forwardly tapering way a, traveling withtheir peripheries against the wear pieces. A spring, E, fits in therounded recess a and has its arms bearing against the rollers, forcingthe latter forward. This spring is preferably formed from a stout pieceof rubber, square in cross section, and bent to fit the recess, themiddle of the spring having a notch, 6; but any form of spring ofsprings which will force the rollers forward, may be used instead ofthis form. The casing A is formed at its forward end with a projection,A through which passes a longitudinal adjusting screw, F, the

inner end of which serves as a stop for the reciprocating block 0, atthe forward stroke of the latter; and said screw stop F is secured inits adjusted position by means of a set screw, f, passed through thesides of the projection. An arm, G, is pivoted to the forward end of thecasing, opposite to the projection A and has an adjusting screw stop, G,inserted through it; said screw stop bearing against the forward end ofthe reciprocating block 0, and having a set screw, g, for securing it inits adjusted position. A link, H, pivoted at one end upon the bed frameof the machine, has its other end pivoted to the free forward end of thestop arm G. The casing A is secured upon a feeder bar, I, having a guiderod, J, secured through it. Said rod slides in two longitudinalbearings, K K, formed in the machine frame. Two longitudinal guide bars,L L, are secured at their ends to the sides of the bearings to formguides for the feeder bar. A gib, M, is secured upon the upper side ofthe feeder bar to bear against and slide upon the outer guide bar, beingsecured upon the feeder bar by means of a shackle, M ,which bearsagainst the under side of the feeder bar and of the gib, and is securedto the latter by means of nutted bolts, m. An adjusting screw, m, fitsand turns in a screw-threaded box, m in the outer edge of the gib, andhas its outer end bearing against a shoulder, 'i, formed upon the feederbar at the point where said bar merges into the cylindrical gudgeon, 1to which the connecting rod or pitman is pivoted. By means of this screwand shoulder the gib may be adjusted to fit snugly against theguide-bar. A gib, N, is secured against the outer edge of the casing A,and may be adjusted to fit snugly against the inner guide bar by meansof screws, n, passing through a flange, A which forms the edge of thecasing. A curved hood, P, is secured over the space between the guidebars, being secured to the upper edges of the same. The open top of theeasing is covered by removable topplates, 0, when the feeder is inoperation. In practice, the wire is placed from above into the groove inthe reciprocating block and between the two rollers, and, when thefeeder is reciprocated, the spring and the friction between the wire andthe rollers will draw the rollers forward,during theback stroke of thefeeder, into the narrow portion of the tapering way, clamping the wirebetween the rollers and feeding it to the nail forming mechanism. Whenthe extreme of the back stroke is reached, the stop arm G is so tiltedby the link that its screw stop will strike the forward end of thereciprocating block and will force the latter rearward, thereby pushingthe rollers into the wider rear end of their way and causing them, tospread. As the rollers spread, they release the wire and the feeder maymove forward, while the wire remains stationary. rearward, the wire isagain gripped, and so forth. The portion of the stroke during which thewire is held gripped, and, consequently, the length of feed, is adjustedby means of the screw stop in the stop arm, and the limit of the forwardmovement of the reciprocating block is adjusted by the screw stop F,according to the thickness of the wire to be fed. The spring and thescrew stop will make the gripping of the wire positive and exact, andthe swinging stop arm, its link, and the reciprocating block, will makethe release of the wire positive and exact, so that the feeding of thewire to the nail making mechanism, in exact and equal length will beinsured.

The longitudinal guide bars and the gibs upon the feeder serve to insurereciprocation in a perfectly straight line, without lateral strain uponthe guide rod on account of the pull of the pitman upon the end of thefeeder bar. All wear and consequent lost motion may be taken up byadjusting the gibs. The hood over the guide bars and guide rod protectsthe latterfrom dust and chips from the nails, which dust and chips mightotherwise fall upon the rod and be carried by the same into thebearings, cutting and injuring them.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may beemployed forthe mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards themechanism herein set forth provided the principles of constructionrespectively recited in the following claims are employed.

1 therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention 1. In a feeding device for nail making machines, thecombination with a feeder bar, a longitudinal guide rod for the same,and longitudinal bearings for said rod, of a longitudinal guide bar atthe side of and parallel with the guide rod, and a gib upon the feederbar bearing against and sliding upon said guide bar, substantially asset forth.

When the feeder again'moves 2. In a feeding device for nail makingmachines, the combination with a feeder bar, a longitudinal guide rodfor the same, and longitudinal bearings for said rod, of two guide barssecured at their ends to the sides of the bearings, and gibs upon thefeeder bar hearing against and sliding upon the guide bars,substantially as set forth.

3. In a feeding device for nail making machines, the combination with afeeder bar, a longitudinal guide rod for the same, and longitudinalbearings for said rod, of two longitudinal guide bars secured at theirends to the sidesof the bearings, gibs upon the feeder bar bearingagainst and sliding upon the guide bars, and screws for adjusting saidgibs in their hearing against the gnidebars, substantially as set forth.

4. In a feeding device for nail making machines, the combination with atapering way, of wire gripping rollers having play in said way andtraveling against the diverging sides of the same, substantially as setforth.

5. In a feeding device for nail making machines, the combination with areciprocating casing formed with a tapering way, of two wire grippingrollers having play in said way and traveling against the divergingsides of the same, substantially as set forth.

6. In a feeding device for nail making machines, the combination of atapering way, wire gripping jaws having play in said way and bearingagainst the sides of the same, a spring bearing against said jaws toforce them into the narrow portion of said way, a block sliding toproject into the narrow end of the tapering way, and means for forcingsaid block into the narrow end of the way, substantially as set forth.

7. In a feeding device for nail making machines. the combination of areciprocating casin g formed with a tapering way, wire gripping jawshaving play in said way and hearing against the sides of the same, aspring bearing against said jaws to force them into the narrow portionof said way, ablock sliding in the casing to project into the narrow endof the tapering way, an arm pivoted to engage said block and force itinto the narrow end of the way, and a link pivoted to said arm at oneend and rigidly pivoted at the other end, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to be my invention I havehereunto set my hand this 3d day of October, A. D. 1892.

CHARLES W. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

WM. SECTUR, J. C- TURNER.

